Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/51

Rh The seals do not appear to come on shore in the daytime so much as they used to do. We very seldom see any on shore now, unless we wait for them coming up late in the evening, or go before daylight in the morning, and get them before they go into the water. To-day the barometer is 30⋅3, thermometer 46°.

Sunday, May 29, 1864.—It has been blowing a very heavy gale during all the past week, with continued hail, snow, and rain, and yesterday thunder and lightning: the wind was from between S.W. and N.W. It has been impossible to launch the boat, or even to go out of the house, and we have to live entirely on salt seal, roots, and cold water; for we have been obliged to abandon the beer, which I have before mentioned, as it gave us all the bowel complaint. But yesterday I sauntered out with one of the men, and we managed to kill a seal; but we had to carry it on our backs a distance of about two miles, which is no joke, over these rocky beaches, and through this thick bush. However, we were glad to have it for the carrying. Mr. Raynal is again laid up, with a sore finger, and one of the men is also laid up, with a sprained ankle. Since noon the weather has moderated: the glass is rising, and I think we shall be able to get out the boat to-morrow. The barometer was at the lowest on Friday, 28⋅60; to-day it is at 29⋅40; thermometer 34°.

Sunday, June 5, 1864.—Since last Sunday the wind has generally been very light, from between N.W. and W., with a great deal of fog and drizzling rain. The barometer has been as high as 30⋅30, and the thermometer about 40°. On Monday we went up to the harbour, and paid a visit to the island, to look for fresh meat; but to our disappointment we found no seals there, and the island has evidently been deserted by them for some time. Neither do they appear to go on shore anywhere now so much as they did in summer; but they appear more numerous in the water than I have ever seen them. We managed to get some mussels and two seals, but we had a long hunt